This invention relates to a dual-purpose article and more particularly, is directed to an article of clothing which may serve both as a robe and another purpose. The other purpose for the article may, by way of example, be a towel, beach blanet, picnic cloth, or the like.
Numerous combined bathrobe towel-like devices have been suggested over the years. Thus, for example, Hoyme in U.S. Pat. No. 1,497,685, entitled "Combined Bathrobe and Towel", describes a rectangularly-shaped towel which has a cenrally disposed rectangular opening to fit over the head of a user serape style. Narrow banks or strips are defined along opposed sides of the cloth. When the cloth is slipped over the head of the user, two strips are used as a belt to secure the garment.
Dike, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,274, entitled "Convertible Towel Costume", provides a serape-type towel and provides snaps for joining along the side to enclose the wearer.
Nyhagen in U.S. Pat. No. 1,916,068, entitled "Bathing Accessory", provides for a means for securing a towel draped over a person's shoulders. To accomplish this, snaps are located along a towel. Once the towel is draped over the shoulders, the snaps are engaged between the arms and body of the user to return the towel in position.
Hoyme, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,432,249, entitled "Article of Manufacture", discloses another serape-type towel garment with snaps at the sides.
The disadvantage of most of the robe to towel prior art devices is that they each attempt to make a robe-like device serve as a towel or blanket. Thus, each starts by providing means for receiving or accommodating the arms and neck of a user. This has led to towels or blankets with strips and holes cut in them.